It’s been awhile, and there’s lots to talk about in the world of grunge and no love songs.
Let’s start with a fairy tale. In 1838, Hans Christian Anderson published the story of a little tin soldier with only one leg, who falls in love with a paper ballerina who catches his eye while twirling on a single leg. Enemies subvert their romance, which eventually goes up in flames (literally) when the soldier and his love wind up in the fireplace. In the morning, the maid, cleaning out the ashes, discovers that the tin has melted into the shape of a heart.
Titled the “The Steadfast Tin Soldier,” the story has been made into several cartoons. One of these, a 1934 version made by Ub Iwerks (colleague of Walt Disney and co-creator of Mickey Mouse), features in our newest music video, “Back from the War.”
The song is about picking yourself up and starting anew, so the theme of the soldier sticking to his ideals and never giving up seemed to be a good fit. And it was fun to play with the old footage, too.
Click below to watch our take on the tin soldier in “Back from the War.”
The 90s hits the HoF
In grunge-related news: last week, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced their inductees of 2023. It’s a pretty good class, with names like Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson (how did it take so long for him to be inducted?). But the biggest 90s name on the list is Rage Against the Machine, one of the angriest bands of that era (and that’s saying a lot). Their first album takes me right back to high school — and it’s also great to put on at the gym.
RATM released a statement about the “surprising trajectory” of their career that has led to the Hall of Fame, which you can read here.
The induction ceremony is happening this November at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn. So if you know where to score some cheap tickets, let me know 🤙
New Nirvana?
And last but not least, a “new” Nirvana discovery: Some dude named Antanix on YouTube uploaded a semi-fictional fifth Nirvana album about a month ago, compiled from Kurt Cobain’s bootlegs/home recordings and completed by a bunch of musicians in what must have been a real labor of love. The final result is not bad! I especially like the 11th track, “Talk to Me.”
Anyway, if you’re a Nirvana fan and wish there was something new to listen to — check out the video below.
Stay grungy.